National rodeo qualifiers secure spots at South Dakota high school finals in Fort Pierre

The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·5 min read

Jun. 18—FORT PIERRE, S.D. — State champions were crowned and trips to the national finals were secured on Saturday at the South Dakota High School Rodeo Finals.

The short-go finals were held on Saturday, with the top-15 performers from the season earning one more shot to claim a trip to the National High School Finals Rodeo in July in Gillette, Wyoming. The top four overall point-earners from the season earned trips to the national rodeo.

A pair of area athletes earned national-qualifying finishes in the girl's cutting events. Sturgis' Landry Haugen won the three-round average for points (423) and led the season scoring with 82.5 points. Sydney Stahl, of Kimball, was second on the three-round average (417) and finished second on season points at 71.5. Piper Hanson, of Burke, had the best score of the short-go with a 143 and finished fourth in season points with 68.5.

Wessington Springs' Raylee Fagerhaug capped a strong weekend with a fifth-place finish in the short-go and the average for the week, finishing with 57 points for the season and earning a national finals trip. Wall's Piper Cordes led all competitors with 90 points on the season.

Ella Fagerhaug, also of Wessington Springs, earned a trip to nationals in breakaway roping with a 56.5 point total for the season, which was third-best in the state. The ninth-grader was powered by a top finish in the short-go finals in a time of 2.59 seconds, leading the state finals in average with 8.98 seconds across her three performances.

Canistota's Taylor McGregor finished second in season points in pole bending with 60 points, as Buffalo's Aspen Vining finished as the state champion with 76 points. McGregor won the first-go with a 20.680-second performance and was second in the second performance (20.725).

Also qualifying for nationals was Springfield's Terran Talsma, who took second in steer wrestling with 70 points for the season, finishing only behind Creighton's Quinn Moon (78 points). Talsma had the top first-go time (5.210 seconds) and finished third on weekend average. Presho's Teagan Gourneau, along with Quinn's Matthew Heathershaw, earned a trip to nationals with a fourth-place season finish in team roping.

Winner's Garret Phillips finished fifth in scoring for the weekend and for the season in the reined cow horse competition. Dallie Lawrence, of Alzada, Montana, won the reined cow horse for the season with 89 points.

Salem's Michaela McCormick finished sixth in season points in goat tying with 46 points and was fifth on weekend average time with a three-performance time of 26.190 seconds. Sturgis' Landry Haugen finished as the state champion with 86 points.

In the shooting sports, Jude Sargent, of Winner, won the trap event with a score of 97, while Jack Anderson, also of Winner, finished in second place with a score of 93. Ally Henkel, of Mitchell, was sixth with a score of 82.

South Dakota High School Rodeo Association State Finals

Thursday-Saturday at Fort Pierre

State champions and national qualifiers (top-four in each event)

Bareback riding: 1. Kashton Ford, Sturgis, 88.5 points; 2. Devon Moore, Clear Lake, 83.5; 3. Reece Reder, Fruitdale, 77; 4. Talon Yellow Hawk, Blunt, 75.

Barrel racing: 1. Piper Cordes, Wall, 90 points; 2. Claire Verhulst, Reva, 84; 3. Gabi Irving, Pierre, 61; 4. Raylee Fagerhaug, Wessington Springs, 57.

Boys cutting: 1. Caden Stoddard, Norris, 78 points; 2. Cody Dirkes, Hermosa, 73.5; 3. Gabe Glines, Smithwick, 68; 4. Braden Routier, Buffalo, 62.

Breakaway roping: 1. Josie Mousel, Colman, 63 points; 2. Josie Menzel, Quinn, 57.5; 3. Ella Fagerhaug, Wessington Springs, 56.5; T4. Landry Haugen, Sturgis, 51; T4. Jaelyn Wendt, Newell, 51.

Bull riding: 1. Kash Krogman, New Underwood, 76.5 points; T2. Thayne Elshere, Hereford, 62; T2. Raile Joens, Belle Fourche, 62; 4. Reece Reder, Fruitdale, 59.

Goat tying: 1. Landry Haugen, Sturgis, 86 points; 2. Mataya Ward, Fruitdale, 74; 3. Brylee Grubb, Spearfish, 73; 4. T. Merrill, Wall, 55.5.

Girls cutting: 1. Landry Haugen, Sturgis, 82.5 points; 2. Sydney Stahl, Kimball, 71.5; 3. Tava Sexton, Whitewood, 69.5; 4. Piper Hanson, Burke, 68.5.

Pole bending: 1. Aspen Vining, Buffalo, 76 points; 2. Taylor McGregor, Canistota, 60; 3. Sophie Hruby, Hemingford (Neb.), 59; T4. Tyra Gates, Miller, 54; T4. Summer Schmaltz, Valley Springs, 54.

Reined cow horse: 1. Dallie Lawrence, Alzada (Mont.), 89 points; 2. Landry Haugen, Sturgis, 80; 3. Chase Brunsch, Pine Ridge, 75.5; 4. Ryen Sheppick, Pierre, 75.

Saddle bronc: 1. Eastan West, New Underwood, 85 points; 2. Thayne Elshere, Hereford, 76; 3. Cade Costello, Newell, 69; 4. Gabriel Fauske, Wall 64.5.

Steer wrestling: 1. Quinn Moon, Creighton, 78 points; T2. Grey Gilbert, Buffalo, 70; T2. Terran Talsma, Springfield, 70; 4. Gage Gilbert, Camp Crook, 61.

Tiedown roping: 1. Grey Gilbert, Buffalo, 71 points; 2. Tegan Fite, Hermosa, 63; 3. Gabe Glines, Smithwick, 55; 4. Tate Hoffman, Highmore, 55

Team roping: 1. Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, and Sern Weishaar, Belle Fourche, 82 points; 2. Paden Belham, Blunt, and Dalton Porch, Kadoka, 61; 3. Caden Stoddard, Norris, and Eastan West, New Underwood, 60; 4. Teagan Gourneau, Presho, and Matthew Heathershaw, Quinn, 59.

Shooting — Rifle: 1. Jenna Kruger, Pierre, 312 total points; 2. Lydia Main, Belle Fourche, 295; 3. Candice Aamot, De Smet, 293; 4. Mya Heinje, Wilmot, 264.

Shooting — Trap: 1. Jude Sargent, Winner Area, 97 points; 2. Jack Anderson, Winner Area, 93 points; 3. Kyle Sanders, Hot Springs, 92 points; 4. Addison Ward, Aberdeen Central, 89 points.